Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:4050] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Captain Patrick Sinclair (of Lybster) / Regarding: Mr Alexander Sinclair (of Harpsdale) (Patient) / 4 May 1777 / (Outgoing)

Reply 'For Harpsdale's son'. Advice for the treatment of [Alexander] Sinclair, son of James Sinclair of Harpsdale. Possibly addressed to his kinsman Patrick Sinclair of Lybster, as the medical professional in the case, Andrew Liddell, is referred to in the third person, as is Harpsdale (so it is not to him either). Cullen advises on the use of Tussilago, diet and exercise. There is no foundation for using Norton's Drops.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 4050
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/9/23
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date4 May 1777
Annotation None
TypeScribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry)
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply 'For Harpsdale's son'. Advice for the treatment of [Alexander] Sinclair, son of James Sinclair of Harpsdale. Possibly addressed to his kinsman Patrick Sinclair of Lybster, as the medical professional in the case, Andrew Liddell, is referred to in the third person, as is Harpsdale (so it is not to him either). Cullen advises on the use of Tussilago, diet and exercise. There is no foundation for using Norton's Drops.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:851]
Case of 'Harpsdale's son', Alexander Sinclair, a young boy who is troubled with spreading tumours on his leg and arms.
6


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1894]AddresseeCaptain Patrick Sinclair (of Lybster)
[PERS ID:1893]PatientMr Alexander Sinclair (of Harpsdale)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:339]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryMr Andrew Liddell (Liddle)
[PERS ID:354]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMr James Sinclair (of Harpsdale)
[PERS ID:1894]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendCaptain Patrick Sinclair (of Lybster)

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Cullen's House / Mint Close Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Destination of Letter Lybster North Highlands Scotland Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For Harspsdale's Son.


The humor which has troubled Harpsdale's son, I have no doubt
in judging to be Scrophulous. The cure therefore tedious but
in a year or two the complaints may be discussed by a little at¬
tion.


Be in no hurry to open the swellings on arm & foot which
came on this spring, for no good can be got from opening
till a good deal of fluid matter appear to be formed
immediately under the skin; even then it is sometimes
better for the tumor to break of itself. The cases
when an artificial opening may be necessary I leave to
Mr Liddel's discretion, but in these I prefer Incision to
the Caustic. When they are opened they may be kept cove¬
red with symple Diachylon plaister; washed twice a day with
plain water or once, in a day or two with salt water -- There
is no better application thro the day than fourfold linnen
cloths constantly wet with spring water, & the plaister to be
used only during the night. Few inward medicines of service
& young peoples constitutions have been much hurt by
using many of them. In the present case, Bark may
& Mercury will do harm. No foundation for Norton's drops.
The only remedy I can think proper at present is the
fresh & daily expressed juice of Tussilago leaves.
Of this, a gill every day but in two doses, one in the
morning, another in the Evening, before breakfast & before
Supper. He may take 2 gills if his stomach bear it.
Continue this remedy while the leaves are fresh & succu¬
lent, but after that time, take the Solution ordered be¬
low, two or three tablespoonfuls of it & mixing it with
half a muchkin or a muchkin of spring water -



[Page 2]

drink this at 2 or 3 draughts in the morning before break¬
fast. It should move him once a day, but if it do either more or
less, diminish or increase the dose accordingly, & Continue this
course for a month or six weeks. As a return of swellings
& sores against next spring is to be apprehended, upon this
u upon the least appearance of them or even before it same
precautions are to be taken. Towards the end of February he
may begin the Bark, from one to two drams a day, for a
fortnight; & after that he may begin the Solution & take it as
above, till the Tussilago leaves grow again & then these
are to be used only as long as in good condition.


His diet need not be entirely of vegetables. He may have
a little broth every day at dinner, & he may h have every
week three times, a bit of plain meat at dinner, as beef,
mutton, veal, lamb or fowl, avoiding salted meat or fish.
Instead of animal food he may have sometimes an egg at
dinner but not often. Milk he must have in part at
breakfast or supper, but not much & neither goats milk
nor whey. At breakfast he should frequently take water gruel
instead of milk. Green or bohea tea bad for him, but Cocoa
tea is proper. At meals plain water is the only drink, &
no wine or spirituous liquor. Fresh air, in tolerable
weather & when he can be kept from being wet. The
swellings
& sores on his leg & foot must determine
what walking he can bear, but horseback is the
best way of all, & I shall only say that pains should
be taken to give him what exercise he can easily
bear.

Take two ounces of Soluble Tartar, an ounce of Glauber's Salts, half-an-ounce of Spanish Sea Salt, and eight ounces of spring water. Dissolve and strain. Label: Aperient Solution.

W.C.
Edinburgh May 4.th 1777

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For Harspsdale's Son.


The humor wc has troubled Harpsdale's son, I have no doubt
in judgg to be Scrophulous. The cure therefore tedious but
in a year or two the complaints m. b. discussed by a little at¬
tion.


Be in no hurry to open the swellings on arm & foot wc
came on this spring, for no good can be got from opening
till a good deal of fluid matter appear to be formed
immediately under the skin; even then it is sometimes
better for the tumor to break of itself. The cases
when an artificial openg m. b. necessary I leave to
Mr Liddel's discretion, but in these I prefer Incision to
the Caustic. When they are opened they m. b. kept cove¬
red w symple Diachylon plaister; washed twice a day w
plain water or once, in a day or two with salt water -- There
is no better application thro the day than fourfold linnen
cloths constantly wet w spring water, & the plaister to be
used only during the night. Few inward meds. of service
& young peoples constitutions have been much hurt by
using many of them. In the present case, Bark may
& Mercury will do harm. No foundation for Norton's drops.
The only remedy I can think proper at present is the
fresh & daily expressed juice of Tussilago leaves.
Of this, a gill every day but in two doses, one in the
morning, another in the Eveng, before breakf. & before
Supper. He may take 2 gills if his stomach bear it.
Continue this remedy while the leaves are fresh & succu¬
lent, but after that time, take the Solution ordered be¬
low, two or three tablespoonfuls of it & mixing it w
half a muchkin or a muchkin of spring water -



[Page 2]

drink this at 2 or 3 draughts in the morning before break¬
fast. It should move him once a day, but if it do either more or
less, diminish or increase the dose accordingly, & Continue this
course for a month or six weeks. As a return of swellgs
& sores against next spring is to be apprehended, upon this
u upon the least appearance of them or even before it same
precautions are to be taken. Towards the end of Feby he
m. begin the Bark, from one to two drams a day, for a
fortt; & after that he m. begin the Solution & take it as
above, till the Tussilago leaves grow again & then these
are to be used only as long as in good condition.


His diet need not be entirely of vegetables. He may have
a little broth every day at dinner, & he may h have every
week three times, a bit of plain meat at dinner, as beef,
mutton, veal, lamb or fowl, avoidg salted meat or fish.
Instead of animal food he may have sometimes an egg at
dinner but not often. Milk he must have in part at
breakfast or supper, but not much & neither goats milk
nor whey. At breakfast he should freqy take water gruel
instead of milk. Green or bohea tea bad for him, but Cocoa
tea is proper. At meals plain water is the only drink, &
no wine or spirituous liquor. Fresh air, in tolerable
weather & when he can be kept from being wet. The
swellings
& sores on his leg & foot must determine
what walking he can bear, but horseback is the
best way of all, & I shall only say that pains should
be taken to give him what exercise he can easily
bear.


Tart. solubil. ℥ii Sal. Glaub. ℥i Sal. mar. hisp. ℥ſs
Aq. font. ℥viii -- Solve et cola.
S. Aperient Solution.

W.C.
Edinr. May 4.th 1777

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